Moroccan authorities kidnap Saharawi writer and political prisoner from his cell in Tiznit Prison
05/06/2011

The family of the Saharawi writer and political prisoner, Mustapha Abdaiem, inforemed today that their son has been kidnapped Saturday early morning from his cell by quards to be transferred to an unknown place.The Saharawi writer imprisoned since 2008 because of his political views in favour of the independence of Western Sahara, was not given the chance to put on his clothes, according to his cell comrades, and he was kidnapped along with another Saharawi political prisoner, Mahmoud Abou Alqasem.In a phone call last Thursday, the writer was able to tell the Saharawi Journalists and Writers Union that he fears from a possible attack from the Moroccan authorities because of his writings that are published on the website of the Union, in which he expresses his political views.The family of the prisoner further affirmed that Mustapha was kidnapped and all his belongings were confiscated, and none could tell where he was transferred.The family holds the Moroccan authorities accountable for this new violation of the Saharawi prisoners’ rights, and demands a quick rectification. It also demands to be informed about the whereabouts of their son.On the meanwhile the Saharawi politicial prisoners in the prison of Tiznit, who were attacked the same day with their two kidnapped comrades, declared that they will enter an unlimited hunger strike in protest against this new violation of their rights.It should be recalled that the Moroccan authorities have confiscated all their belongings such as money, books, cell phones..etc -----------note:The attached photo showS Mustapha during his trial in 2008, he is saluting the audience while getting in the court.Background: The story of Mustapha Abd DaiemMustapha Abd Daiem was born in March 1962 in the Moroccan city of Sale, he graduated in Philosophy from the university of Mohamed V in Rabat in 1984, and graduated from the Regional Centre of Teachers in El Qunaitira (Morocco) in 1986, to work as a teacher of Arabic language and Islamic sciences.Meanwhile, he worked as a reporter to many Moroccan newspapers, especially: “El Watan”, “Al Alam Assiyasi”, “Al Ahdath Almaghribiya” and used to publish in many other Moroccan newspapers.In 2006 he became a member of UPES, and started publishing short stories and articles on the UPES website, criticising the Moroccan authorities’ violations in Western Sahara and unveiling the truth about many phenomenon and realities on the ground.He used to be very active in Moroccan political parties and civil society, and is an ex-member of : “the Moroccan socialist youth”, “Ex-Member of the Bureau of the Moroccan youth workshops”, “Ex-Member of the Bureau of the Popular childhood”.In December 2007, he was one of many Saharawis who decided to found a Saharawi Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Zag (a city in the south of Morocco) and he was elected Secretary General of the new human rights body.Because of his writing and criticism to the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara, and because he clearly indicates that he is for an independent Western Sahara, Mustapha Abd Daiem started having problems with the Moroccan authorities, especially since 2005, when he started working in the city of Zag and Assa, where there is a majority of Saharawis. As a journalist, he kept reporting in his articles about the Moroccan serious human rights’ violations and abuses in these two cities and in the other cities of Western Sahara under Moroccan occupation, and this didn’t suit the authorities in the city, who tried many time to intimidate him, the members of his family and his friends.In 8 December 2006, he tried to make an end to his life in public, by pouring fuel on his body aiming to set himself on fire. Saharawi population in the street stopped him from doing so in the last minute.In March 2007, he was attacked by a person on the sold of the Moroccan authorities, who tried to kill him. The result of the attack for the Saharawi journalist and writer was a broken arm and he was officially advised by his doctor to take 60 days off to recover (in an official certificate).The Moroccan police didn’t arrest the criminal, and instead, the Saharawi journalist was brought before the Moroccan persecutor.In October 2008, Mr. Mustapha Abd Daiem was arrested on the 28th October 2008, in the city of Assa (south of Morocco), because he clearly expressed support to Saharawi demonstrators in the city who were confronting Moroccan forces after the latter attacked their peaceful sit-in the same day.When he heard about the serious attacks by the Moroccan forces against many Saharawi families’ houses (many were ransacked) he decided to release his students to give them a chance to go help their parents. He also decided to lower the Moroccan flag “as a sign of sadness and solidarity with the victims of the attack”, he said in a testimony that he sent to UPES from his prison, and published on the website.The same day of his arrest in Assa, his sister Khadija was arrested in the city of Dakhla (a city in Western Sahara occupied by Morocco). Khadija had a misunderstanding with a Moroccan settler who works with the secret police, she went to complain at the police station, and instead of arresting or calling the Moroccan settler for interrogation, she found herself accused of a so-called “attack against a public agent while doing his duty”.The Saharawi Journalists’ and Writers’ Union (UPES) would like to inform all international human rights organisations, associations, and the UN’s relevant bodies that it is deeply concerned about the fate and physical and moral safety of Mr. AbdDaiem, and calls on them to adopt the necessary demarches to help release him as soon as possible, especially that he was judged in the absence of his lawyers in the trial in the Moroccan court of appeal in Agadir simply because they were even not informed about the date of the trial.